The 30th annual American Music Awards, which were telecast Monday on ABC, pulled in the lowest-ever ratings for the ceremony, according to Nielsen. The show attracted an overall average audience of 12.9 million--a 19 percent slide from last year's show.
The ceremony was hosted by the popular Osbourne clan, including Jack, Kelly, Sharon and Ozzy. But the fact that some of the AMA's biggest winners, such as Eminem, the Dixie Chicks and Creed, were conspicuously missing from the ceremony may have contributed to the soft ratings.

The show did manage to stir up a bit of controversy though, despite rapper Eminem's absenteeism. Comedian Kathy Griffin griped to AP Radio about American Idol host Ryan Seacrest's decision to expose her black lace bra.

While they were announcing the Fan's Choice Award winner, Griffin pretended to read an e-mail that asked her to flash the audience. Seacrest then reached over and unbuttoned her blouse--a bit that Griffin told reporters backstage wasn't scripted.

"Ryan Seacrest physically assaulted me on stage. Follow me to the precinct, he's going down," she told AP Radio. "Look, maybe I did walk up the freaking stairs like Shania. But Ryan Seacrest took my top off! That would never happen to Shania."

Griffin's lingerie, however, was no match for Fox's limited-run reality series Joe Millionaire, the network's twisted take on the ABC hit The Bachelor. Joe dominated its hour, leading the Monday 9 p.m. slot with 17.53 million viewers. Combined with the scores from Fox's Boston Public, the network won Monday night in most key measures, Variety reports.

The RIAA is dying!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Does that say the Osbournes hosted this year's? Because Jimmy Kimmel hosted it this year. The Osbournes did last year.

They can probably blame their poor ratings on the fact that the Osbournes WERE THERE.

Or, they will probably blame it on the fact that everyone is too busy pirating the music (their term, not ours) to watch their lame award shows.

Everything else that happens to them, p2p foots the blame. Pepe~~~

I think I was downloading from kazaa lite when it was on, and I wasn't downloading that RIAA crap..

I was right. Jimmy DID host this year. Are you sure this article wasn't from LAST year? If not, then this writer didn't watch it either.

This article was from last year. It says something about Boston Public being on Monday when this season it was moved to Friday nights. This year, the ratings were better than last year and actually did pretty well.

"Ryan Seacrest physically assaulted me on stage. Follow me to the precinct, he's going down," she told AP Radio. "Look, maybe I did walk up the freaking stairs like Shania. But Ryan Seacrest took my top off! That would never happen to Shania."

She should have thrown some mousse on his hair and combed it straight back...that would have messed him up..and he would lose that "toussled hair" look...lol...
when did hair that looked like you just woke up become cool ?

undeath - actually, I DID see on CNN just yesterday, a small note at the bottom of the screen, that their AMA audience WAS down this year. Are they embarrassed and trying to keep whats really happening being known? Because I really cannot find the info anywhere on that story. pepe~~

It does show it was in January.. I do know that it was posted By Guylaine Cadorette, Hollywood.com Staff, Yesterday

pepe that is where I seen it yesterday was on CNN's ticker so I went to search for the story

Lame product, served up by an entity obviously contemptuous of it's customers. How can this be a surprise to anyone?

Gee maybe the lack of popularity had to do with the massive load of soup opera crap played out. Like I care if some hollywood skank looses her top. I should sue her for assualting my good nature and polluting my mind with warn out material.

Where do they get these viewer figures anyway?

I think it's starting to show that people are sick of the RIAA crap or the RIAA scared enough people into not watching for fear they'll tap into their TV sets somehow and sue them just for watching lol.

The American Music Awards. Just what I want -B.S. spoonfed to me. I'll never watch that garbage

Or an alternative to 'nitedreamerxp's' observations: People are sick and tired of the RIAA's worse-than-second-class, uber-inferior treatment of music fans and showing their displeasure by having nothing to do with any of their product. Similar to some people boycotting movies with actors who are pronounced left-wingers. Or people turning away from the late, unlamented "Coupling" in droves. Or Viacom shuffling "The Reagans" miniseries from CBS to Showtime after countless protests and threats of boycotts.

well the 60Million+ of us P2P users in the US, are sick of the stars wasting their money by throwing elabrit partys at which they pat themselves on the back for 'doing so well', and forcing us to watch. The Average American could care less who won at the AMA, VMA, CMA, EMMYS, GRAMMYS, and all the other awary shows. The average american doesn't care about the overpaid babys that wee often referr to as 'Stars'.

I know I was doing something more inportant that night, like helping my community, you don't see the 'stars' doing that every monday night.

The end is near RIAA, you are on the train with a one way ticket, and the destination is hell, hasta lavista! (spanish for - I never want to see you again)

Just for the record, my cousin is in the band (The Bomb Squad) that won the Coca Cola New Music Award. They played near the end of the show. I never discussed file sharing with him, but plan to when I see him (probably at the next family funeral).

lol W-B right on the money

Heh, nice one guys. The ones that just happened were the 31st American Music Awards...